While David Cameron's Conservative Party is targeting the family, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have set their sights firmly on the youth vote.

Assembly party leader Mike German told the party's spring conference in Swansea that encouraging more young people to vote - only 16 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds turned out at the last General Election - could see the party boosting their current six seats in the National Assembly.

'Young people could tip the vote in seats in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd. In Pontypridd the number of students is greater than Jane Davidson's (Labour AM for Pontypridd) majority,' he said.

Mr German believes the party, which supports giving 16-year-olds the vote, can build on its support brought about by its opposition to the Iraq war and top-up fees.

'Young people should be voting. Not because it's the right thing to do, not because it's their democratic duty. I want them voting because they have so much to say,' he said.

'And the only way to ensure that the system listens is for them to vote. We're writing to returning officers, to ask what plans they have to attract more people to join in. We have been in contact with the Hansard Society which is providing mock election packs for schools and colleges and we will be visiting students' unions across Wales in the lead- up to the election,' added Mr German, who was somewhat optimistically introduced for his keynote speech by Welsh Lib Dems leader Lembit Opik as the 'next First Minister'.

A confident Mr German, who is a former councillor in Cardiff, said he believed the Liberal Democrats could be the big winners in the May 3 Assembly election, increasing their presence from six seats to between seven and 11.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats in Cardiff West have accused Labour of under funding South Wales Police and breaking promises to introduce more community support officers.

Alison Goldsworthy, the party's Cardiff West constituency spokesman, presented a conference motion on the police, which also criticised the level of police funding to handle major events. She said: 'Not only do we have a disappearing police force, with fewer community support officers, we now have disappearing funding as well.'